I am a sucker for historical fiction about girls who become pregnant out of wedlock at a time when abortion was illegal. Perhaps this is because it is relevant to my own background.
It is 1968 and we meet six girls who have been placed at Good Shepard. Not all of them were pregnant. Some were also considered problematic by their families for other reasons (like being gay). These girls form a bond which is explored in this serious novel. I have read other books by this author but not in some time and not anything as serious and "significant" as this.
This was mostly focused on character development and relationships, both strong points of the novel. I started out listening to the audiobook and then switched to the kindle version. The narrator was good and I think the novel, which was mostly character driven, lost a little steam for me in the second half when I read versus listened.
Nonetheless, I look forward to this author writing more historical fiction and seeing what she does with that because this was a wonderful foray into the genre.
Thanks to NetGalley, William Morrow and Harper Adult Audio for providing me with this novel and audio in exchange for my honest opinions.

Mairin O'Hara is the free-spirited daughter of a staunch Irish Catholic mother. When her best friend gets "in trouble" (pregnant and not married) and her stepfather makes advances, Mairin's mother takes the drastic step of sending her to the nuns at the Good Shepherd. This Magdalene Laundry is not the kind of place anyone would want to subject their child to, but in 1968, it was standard for girls that got into "trouble", were gay, or deemed unruly. As Mairin discovers, every aspect of her life is under control. Her letters are censored, she is beaten and forced into a small dark closest as punishment. The girls are not allowed to speak unless spoken to, they must use the names given to them by the nuns, and are forced to work constantly. Any pregnant girls are forced to give their children up for adoption.

The historical research that went into this novel accurately portrays the long struggle to receive justice for the child victims of parochial abuse.

I unfortunately was unable to finish this audiobook because i found the narrator to be insufferable.
I was able to read a finished physical copy now that the book is released and i enjoyed the book itself, but i would not recommend the audio.

(3.75 stars for the book itself, 1.5 stars for the audio)

Dealingwith the Magdalene laundries in 1960s Buffalo, New York and how horribly "wayward" girls were treted by the nuns there- I found this historical novel really well written with a strong storyline that kept me glued. The narrtair was great and I loved learnigabout the 6 different main characters.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance audio copy of this novel. This story is set in Buffalo, NY during the late 1960s-1970s. It follows a girl who was placed in a "Home for Wayward Girls" by her father and stepfather due to no fault of her own. While there, she and her friends endure severe abuse by the nuns who run the home. After a time, they engineer an escape, and all scatter to the wind. The ending is hopeful and redemptive. An excellent read.

I always enjoy reading and learning about adoption agencies and catholic schools that housed unwed mothers before women had the right to an abortion or the support to be a single mother.

I’m always left so sad and heartbroken each time. I can’t even begin to fathom what it would be like to give birth then be forced to give away your parental rights and the ability to see your child in the future.

Weyward Girls by Susan Wiggs did not disappoint at all. It was easily a 5 star read for me. The young women were all relatable and you couldn’t help but be in their corner and cheer them on at every turn. The parents and nuns…well, you wanted to teach them a thing or two about kindness, unconditional love, and genuine support. The storyline is gripping and captivating. I didn’t want to put it down. I also didn’t want it to end…but alas I wanted to know how it ended. And, I was very pleased with the author’s vision in seeing the book through to completion.

This book right here is most definitely in the running for favorite book of the year. Kudos to Susan Wiggs for her creativity, consistency in writing, and for tackling topics that help educate us. Her writing encourages readers to build a better future while using the past as a mile marker instead of a road block!

I was initially really on board for the story here, which centers on a group of girls sent to a "reform school" (really a Catholic-run Magdalene laundry) in Buffalo, New York in the late 1960s. The book starts strong with cultural and historical references fairly deftly woven in to create a sense of place and time. We mostly follow one of the girls, Mairin, who is sent away by her mother to keep her away from the predatory advances of her stepfather. As Mairin struggles to survive her institutionalization and eventually forge a life outside of it, we are given snippets of insight into the lives of the other girls who were placed there, some of the nuns charged with running it, and those who, decades later, fight for truth and justice around the abuses they suffered.

I agree with another reviewer who said the second half of the book feels more like the outline of a story than the story itself. Once the girls leave the institution (deliberately being vague here) I felt way less connected to the moment-to-moment actions of the story. There feels like a LOT of telling in order to quickly get the end of the story where the author needs it to be.

I may still recommend this to readers fascinated by the subject matter or who are very interested in stories with these themes, but it would not be my go-to suggestion.

in 1969 Marin is sent to The Home for Wayward Girls near Buffalo, NY. This is a terrible place, but Marin is able to survive with the help and friendship of other girls who have been sent there. Based on real events, this story is an important story about a sad chapter of recent American history.

This was quite different from the authors previous books. That said it was just a wonderful lesson. I loved all the characters who are well developed and courageous. Sister Bernadette was the icing on the cake.

• set in buffalo, ny in 1968 during the vietnam war era, this novel follows six teen girls who are condemned to forced labour at the good shepherd, a secret church institution controlled by a group of nuns forcing the girls to atone for their sins. through the eyes of marin, the daughter of irish immigrants who is sent to the institution to keep her away from her abusive stepfather, we see the girls band together against the nuns and eventually plan their escape.
• this book was a tough read, just based on its subject matter. marin’s story, and her view of the stories of the girls around her, was very moving, and moved the plot along quickly.
• while i did enjoy this, it didn’t leave a huge impression on me, and a month after finishing it, i’m having trouble remembering much of the details, making it evident that it wasn’t a book that WOWed me.

Thanks NetGalley for the audio version of this book. The narrator had a pleasant voice who was easy to follow along with . If this book isn't in your TBR, then put it there! It reminded me of Before We Were Yours. I can never understand how humans can be cruel enough to steal someones child and give it away especially when they say they are doing it in the name of God. This is why so many have trouble with religion/God. Please don't let human actions turn you away from God and his love . Trust me, He didn't tell them or condone them doing such evil acts! I would hate to stand in those Nuns shoes on judgement day!

This book was wonderful. Heartbreaking and moved really well. I've already had so many patrons tell me how much they enjoyed this book. I definitely will be recommending it to others will it's still circulating so many copies!!

Wayward Girls by Susan Wiggs is nothing short of extraordinary—a haunting, beautifully told novel that grips you from the first page and stays with you long after the last.

Set in 1968 at the grim and secretive Good Shepherd institution, the story introduces six young women—Mairin, Angela, Helen, Odessa, Denise, and Janice—each sent away not for crimes, but for being “too much” in a world that demanded their silence. Whether it was for loving the wrong person, defending themselves, or simply refusing to conform, they were cast aside—until they found each other.

Wiggs brings each girl to life with vivid, compassionate detail. Mairin’s fierce independence, Angela’s quiet courage, Helen’s resilience, Odessa’s strength, Denise’s rebellious spark, and Janice’s tragic vulnerability form a tapestry of lives that feel heartbreakingly real. Even Sister Bernadette, torn between duty and conscience, adds complexity and humanity to a system designed to strip both away.

The novel doesn’t shy away from the darkness these girls endured—abuse, neglect, injustice—but it also offers a powerful undercurrent of hope. As they forge bonds of sisterhood in the bleakest of places, Wayward Girls becomes a rallying cry for justice and redemption.

Susan Wiggs has crafted a stunning and emotional masterpiece that speaks to the enduring spirit of young women forced to the margins. It’s a story of courage, compassion, and the unbreakable will to survive—and ultimately, to rise.

An absolute must-read.

These stories, and so many like them, are seeping out more and more. Through stories, through news, through anecdotes. It feels incredibly disheartening to think about how many lives were upset and trauma inflicted for some bad players under the guise of religious intervention. I found my heart aching for the girls and rooting for their rebellion. The ways in which they were able to create a found family amongst themselves was really lovely. I especially appreciated the way in which the story took us into the "present" as well to get a glimpse of how things panned out. If anything felt a bit unrealistic it was that they all lead largely "normal" lives despite everything they had been through.

The narrators of this audiobook did a great job at making this story engaging and entertaining.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ALC in exchange for an honest review.

I've read a few books centred around the Magdalene laundrettes, the nuns that ran them, and the girls who were forced to live and work there, and the abuse they consequently suffered.
This book will make you angry, it's written so well that you will shake your head in disbelief that this went on only a few decades ago.
Highly recommended.

Let me be completely honest—I almost DNF’d this book more than once. For a good chunk of the story, I just wasn’t connecting with what was happening. The pacing felt slow, and I struggled to stay interested in the characters or plot. But the epilogue? That epilogue hooked me. It dropped just enough of a mystery, wrapped in eerie ambiguity, that I had to know how it all tied together. It wasn’t clear at all what the connection was, and that uncertainty kept gnawing at me until I had no choice but to keep reading.

And thank goodness I did. Slowly but surely, I found myself pulled into the chilling atmosphere of this Catholic institution, the growing unease that clung to the walls, and the unraveling fates of the girls trapped within. There’s a creeping dread threaded through the story that eventually consumed me in the best way. What started off as a potential DNF turned into a haunting and thought-provoking read that lingered with me after the final page. I’m genuinely glad I stuck with it—because in the end, I truly enjoyed the tale that unfolded.

This was a wonderful historical fiction. I have read stories about Wayward Girls in the past, but this one is unique because it takes it much further than their time in the home. A group of young women are sent to a “home” in Buffalo NY for various reasons. Some because they are pregnant, others because their families don’t have enough money to support them or because they were deemed “wild” or because they are gay. What goes on in this home is awful. The story not only followed what happened there, but followed up with a lot of the girls as they became women and how the home affected their lives after. The writing was wonderful; the characters were unique and filled with spunk. The extensive research is shown in the details of the book. I listened to the audiobook and enjoyed the narrators. This was a story about facing your trauma, sisterhood and learning to stand up for yourself. This was an emotional story that is worth the read.

Beautifully produced audiobook on the tragic subject of Magdalene Laundries in the US. Told through the stories of individual girls who found themselves in such a "school" near Buffalo, NY in the mid-1970s. Interesting and well told, but entirely too long and involved.

Wow, what a wonderfully well written and well researched book. Not an easy read, by any stretch of the imagination, but detailed, emotional and well developed. This story follows 6 girls who were sent to the "Good Shepard" a catholic reform school for a year (or more) where they were treated pretty horrifically. The hope, resilience, friendship and determination that was portrayed so clearly throughout the pages was incredible. I wanted to reach through the pages and hug these young girls - I felt as if I was reading the diary of a friend at times. It was so real and raw. My biggest complaint is the ending - we were brought to the present day where we got to see what all the girls were doing and how they were able to move on from their difficult past and trauma. Although I was curious as to where these girls were today, I felt as if this part of the book just did not flow as smoothly as the rest. Overall, a wonderful read, just bring the tissues. 
Thank you Netgalley for my advanced reader copies.

Wayward Girls is sadly based on a true story of the Vietnam era here in the U.S. Unlike many novels written about this time period, it does not focus on the war, but instead highlights some of the difficulties going on at home while the nation was maybe looking elsewhere. It's the story of six girls who were forced, for a wide variety of reasons, to live and work in a Catholic reform school where education was nonexistent and discipline and hard work were the daily routine. The abuse that took place within these walls was difficult to read about and will horrify you long after the last page, but the endurance and fortitude of these girls is also inspiring and will remain with you, serving as a reminder that hope makes anything possible.

I don't want to say that this was an enjoyable read because it wasn't, at least not in a lighthearted, fun kind of way. However, having said that, I'm so glad I read about it. It was extremely well written, and even the difficult parts were handled with grace but also with reality. It wasn't supposed to be an easy read, but even in the midst of tragedy and hardship, we get glimpses of humanity and of the power of friendship. The characters were well-drawn and made me ache for them in their struggles and cheer for them in their triumphs. Honestly, this book was a bit of an emotional roller coaster, and that was fitting for the topic. Anything less would not have done justice for those girls who actually lived through similar circumstances at the time.

I highly recommend this book to those who love historical or women's fiction. Again, go in to it knowing that their are hard things within the pages, but also knowing that you'll find resilience and courage that will lift your spirits and make you glad you read this extremely compelling book.